WFF Global Flagship Event Opening Speech
by Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
17/10/2022
WFF Global Flagship Event
Opening Speech
By
Dr. QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
17 October 2022
Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon from FAO HQ in Rome.
1. Today is a very special and historic day.
2. World Food Forum (WFF) 2022 is officially open during this World Food Day (WFD) week.
3. When I founded the FAO Youth Committee in 2019, it was a way to give opportunity, power, and voice to young people.
4. And it was the young people who followed up on my idea of the World Food Forum,
5. And you have stepped up to your engagement fully, and with energy.
6. And now I am very happy to see more clearly how far we can go together, and how big is the potential you will unleash!
7. You have created a global movement with us.
8. You are making your voices heard, and they are dynamic.
9. You are inciting and leading real action.
10. The innovation and solutions-based thinking of young friends and supporters gives me confidence that we are on the right path.
11. The agrifood future is in all our hands. And I am convinced, it is a BETTER future for you, and for all of us.
12. The theme of WFF 2022 is “Healthy Diets - Healthy Planet.”
13. It is about finding solutions and actions in our agrifood systems and rural development,
14. That advance Soil Health, Plant Health, Animal Health, Healthy Foods, and a Healthy Environment, leading to Human Health for a Better Life.
15. It is about the transformation of global agrifood systems in the coming decade under the overall guidance of our Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.
16. Healthy foods come from healthy agri-environmental conditions (soil, water, fertilizers, seeds, postharvest and others), and in line with food safety regulations.
17. Health for our bodies means building up on our basic staple foods, diversified foods, a balanced nutrition intake, healthy diets and proper exercise.
18. 3.1 billion people in the world cannot afford healthy diets.
19. These are challenges we are here today to face and need to overcome.
20. And the wellbeing of our environment: our air, our land, our forestry, our oceans, and our adaptation and resilience to climate change.
21. Agrifood systems have huge room to improve and change with regard to the impacts of their environmental footprint,
22. Through creativity, enabling policies, responsible investment, technology, science, innovation, and coherent actions.
Dear Friends,
23. In 2021, as a prelude to this global movement, the World Food Forum brought together over 20,000 people in search of the best solutions in transforming our agrifood systems.
24. This year, WFF 2022 is bringing together even more people and partners, in three streams:
• Global Youth in Agrifood,
• Science and Innovation, and
• Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment.
25. We are providing a platform for the global youth to have a say and propose innovative ideas for the agrifood systems transformation we need – we must bring them to the decision-making table!
26. We are providing a platform to bring together data, technology, and science-based expertise, to highlight their centrality for agrifood systems transformation.
27. And we are providing a platform to bring together Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment to ensure we have open accessible finance as a key enabler needed for national transformation plans led by countries to achieve the SDGs,
28. Especially SDG2, SDG1, SDG10, SDG14, and others, aimed at raising incomes, and improving the nutritional status and well-being of poor and vulnerable populations,
29. And strengthening adaptation and resilience to the impacts of the climate crisis.
30. Throughout 2022, the World Food Forum has already hosted a range of events with participants from all over the world.
31. The Global Youth Assembly has held consultations and identified policy gaps from all regions and appointed regional focal points to provide strategic direction.
32. There are Innovation Awards, including the Transformative Research Challenge,
33. And the Startup Innovation Awards in partnership with Extreme Tech Challenge, with a new prize for Resilience Innovation.
34. A Young Scientists Group has been established, with 20 brilliant young scientists under the age of 35 – and I am pleased to see many of them here with us today.
Dear Friends,
35. I am excited to kick-off this week-long World Food Forum!
36. Bringing together so many different representatives from around the world:
• High-level dignitaries and government representatives,
• Farmers, and farmer groups
• Consumers and consumer groups
• Civil Society
• Indigenous representatives
• Private sectors
• Top scientists
• International organizations,
• Multilateral financial institutions
• Investment banks
• Key partners and stakeholders
• Young, and young at heart, friends
• Fellow colleagues
37. I welcome all of you!
38. We are all here because each of us has an important role to play – each of us must be part of the solution and action.
39. Food is the single strongest universal lever we have to make a change together,
40. To create a healthier population, a healthier prosperity, and a healthier planet through healthier partnership (4 HPs).
41. We have all the tools in the toolbox we need to create the better future we all deserve.
42. WFF has shown us that youth everywhere are stepping up boldly to all the challenges.
43. We can learn from the past, act in the present, and aim for improved perspectives in the future.
44. This is our commitment and your opportunity to co-create the bright future, together.
45. The World Food Forum is designed for the future and will continue to grow, and I invite everyone to be part of the movement.
46. All generations, and Hand-in-Hand partners, have their roles at the World Food Forum.
47. To learn together, work together, contribute together, and nourish this shared small planet together.
48. We can have a better future together, leaving no one behind!
49. I wish you all have a dynamic, innovative, meaningful and memorable time!
50. Thank you very much!